


Benny's Grave Mistake

by The_Desert_Dancer



Series: The Old Man And The Fox [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Backstory, Flashbacks, Non-Consensual Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-22 10:12:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13761918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Desert_Dancer/pseuds/The_Desert_Dancer
Summary: Benny thought that he had everything made; the Platinum Chip was his, Yes Man was fully operational, and all the loose ends had been dealt with. Unfortunately for the Chairmen leader, he hadn't anticipated on one thing; a certain Courier rising from the dead. Rated M for non-con drug use and some smutty themes. Complete!





	1. Fools Rush In, Where Angels Fear To Tread

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SaberAltered](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaberAltered/gifts).



Tonight was meant to be a fun night, but Benny didn't feel much like celebrating. The casino was jumping, booze was flowing freely and there was plenty of gorgeous eye-candy that you could ogle to your heart's content, but Benny's heart wasn't really in it and that worried him. All of his plans were going smoothly and Mr Not-At-Home still hadn't figured any of it out. Yes Man was fully functional, he knew where the secret bunker was, and he had even managed to snag the Platinum Chip, the wild card that could have thrown a monkey wrench into the plans of all three of the big cats themselves; NCR, Legion and Mr Not-At-Home. But despite all of that…Benny didn't like it.

He had handled all the loose ends well, Ortal, the Khans, even the courier down in Goodsprings had been dealt with easily. But that hadn't stopped the rumours, the stories that were being told around the Strip. Stories like how the towns of Goodsprings and Primm repelling Powder Ganger attacks, or the crazy broadcasts up in Black Mountain being replaced by empty static, or how the leaders of the Fiends were being mercilessly hunted and their decapitated heads being handed over to the NCR. Spooky stories like that made the head of the Chairmen uneasy and didn't help with his shut-eye at all; maybe things down in Goodsprings hadn't been settled. Maybe the problem that Benny thought had been dealt with is still around and kicking, and was looking for some answers…

"Heya boss, got a drink for you." One of his bodyguards, Laslo, stated. "Compliments from the lady waving at ya."

Benny stared at the drink being handed to him, a frown on his face. It was whiskey, but not the watered-down shit they served to every shmuck that entered the place; no, this was the top-shelf stuff that was reserved for the high rollers, and it was Benny's drink of choice. Whoever bought this drink had some dough on them, and were definitely trying to curry favour here. The head of the Chairmen lifted his head up towards the bar, when he saw the woman Laslo was talking about.

"Well hello nurse…" Benny muttered. "Look at the charlies on her."

The chick was a knockout, like one of them pin-up girls from those Pre-War posters. She was rocking a long-sleeved blue dress that hugged all the right places, and definitely helped highlight her assets. Her hair was a short curly blond and blue eyes that Benny found himself drowning in. This was a bad idea, very bad idea. There was something fishy about this situation, something that made it feel like a trap, that this was just a risk Benny should not be taking.

But on the other hand...Benny hadn't gotten to where he was, without taking a few risks in life. And he would be definitely lying, if he said he wasn't getting excited by just looking at this chick; she was a knockout, a girl who looked like she'd enjoy a bit of that Benny charm. Benny turned to his guards and gave them a nod, causing them to back off slightly, before he turned to look at the woman again. A wide grin appeared on the woman's face, as she got up from her chair and made her way towards Benny.

"Well ring-a-ding-ding baby, you sure got some sweet tastes." Benny stated, lifting up his drink. "Definitely a lass with class, eh?"

"Charmed you think so." The woman answered, letting out a small giggle. "Name's Jazz, and I assume you're Benny?"

"Bingo there, Jazzy girl." Benny answered. "Looking for me for something?"

"Oh well I kept hearing from all these Chairmen about their boss, a guy called Benny Gecko." Jazz explained, running a hand through her hair. "And…well, I wanted to meet the man behind the stories."

"Well then baby, I'm sure I definitely meet those expectations." Benny chuckled. "But you're not one of the regular cats that frequent here. You gotta be an out of town girl, huh?"

"Smart guy, I came down from California." Jazz answered. "I do caravanning work up for some guys in New Reno, and they sent me down here to set up some trade routes. Lucky me, managed to convince them that the Strip should be a high priority. So I get to spend a fun weekend in the Strip, gambling and drinking and meeting people."

"New Reno, eh? There are some pretty big hitters around that block, let me tell you." Benny stated, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Must be one tough gal, to handle yourself."

"Oh, well aren't you just a charmer?" Jazz giggled. "But yeah, you definitely gotta have some guts to handle yourself up in Reno. Well, guts and some womanly charms of course."

"Womanly charms, eh?" Benny asked. "Might have to ask you to show me them, then.

A wide grin slowly appeared on Jazz's face, her blue eyes twinkling wildly with mischief, as she sized up Benny. Before the head of the Chairmen even knew what was happening, Jazz's arms quickly wrapped themselves around Benny's neck, as her lips crashed against his. It definitely wasn't a small kiss, one forged from gentle love, but a hungry kiss that was craving for more. The combination of booze and bubble-gum filled Benny's mouth and his head was swimming like crazy, but right now Benny could care less. All he cared about right now was making sure that this kiss kept going, and would never end. But just like that, Jazz quickly pulled away from Benny, her hair slightly ruffled and her lipstick smeared a bit, but with a hungry look evident in her eyes. And honestly? Benny couldn't care right now if this woman was a trap, because he was loving this way too much to wanna stop now.

"Well swing low sweet chariots, that was one hella convincing argument baby." Benny stated, as he tried fixing up his tie. "But I might need a bit more convincing. How about we take this back up to me room, where we can review your womanly skills a bit better?"

"Thought you'd never ask, hun." Jazz responded, grinning widely. "Cause I can't wait to rock your world."

Benny was still unsure of how he and Jazz ended up back in his apartment, because it was all a blur for him; maybe the alcohol was starting to get to him now, cause he was starting to feel kinda light-headed. All he knew for sure was dismissing his bodyguards for the night, as he and his female companion for the night went up the elevator.

As Benny shrugged off his jacket and tossed it somewhere on the floor, he stopped dead when he looked towards the bed. Jazz had shrugged off her dress in one fluid motion, the dress lying pooled around her shoe-less feet, leaving the woman standing there in just her undies. And Benny was pretty sure that his pants were way too tight now, cause Jazz's undies were made of a black lace that just made his heart race and his blood flowing down south

'Wait a minute, black lace undies?' Some part of Benny's brain thought. 'That's your favourite type of undies on a chick; something ain't right.'

That train of thought quickly died out though, as Jazz unhooked her bra and tossed it onto the bed showing off her chest to Benny. The head of the Chairmen knew he was ogling this gal like some kind of perv, but he didn't care; cause right now, he was looking at the sexiest gal in the entire Strip

"You look a bit too dressed there, Ben-man." Jazz smirked, as she laid down on the bed. "Why not get rid of all those restricting clothes…and come join me? These charlies are dying to be played with."

Benny didn't need to be told twice there; he was already ripping his shirt off and tossing it off, trying to get from his standing position to the semi-nude woman on his bed as soon as possible. But just as he was about halfway off with his pants, he stopped dead in his tracks, a look of confusion on his face.

"Charlies?" Benny muttered, looking up at Jazz. "I'm the only one who uses that word, and I'm the only one who calls myself 'Ben-man'….oh shit, this is a trap."

Jazz just sat up on the bed with a wide grin on her face, as she started chuckling. But this wasn't a nice chuckle, not like from before. No, this was a lot meaner, like how a Deathclaw would chuckle as it cornered its prey. Benny tried reaching into his pockets, trying to get Maria, but the world just started spinning all around him. The floor came rushing up towards Benny, as he found himself struggling to stay conscious; he couldn't move, he couldn't yell out, he couldn't do nothing.

'The whiskey…' Benny thought to himself. 'The whiskey was drugged.'

"Looks like you're finally figuring everything out, Ben-man." Jazz stated coldly, as she put her bra back on. "You feel for it hook, line and sinker, just like the big man said you would. Cause Ben-man, you fucked up badly. You stepped on some toes that should never be stepped on, and now you gotta pay for it."

The doors to the room could be heard opening at that, and Benny hoped beyond hope that it was Laslo and the rest of the guys, coming here to rescue him. But that hope was quickly crushed, as a happy look appeared on Jazz's face, as she put her dress back on. A man slowly appeared in Benny's peripheral view, and he felt the bottom of his stomach fall out once he saw who it was.

The man was currently wearing a white dress shirt, the collar unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled all the way up to his elbows, with a grey waistcoat on top. A cream coloured panama hat was perched on his head, resting on a slight angle. Finishing the whole 'business casual' look was a pair of black dress pants, black wing-tipped shoes, and a silenced .22 pistol resting in his hand. But what was worrying Benny the most was that this man wasn't just a man; oh no, he was a Ghoul. And there was only one Ghoul he knew that dressed like that…

"Don't trust a woman bearing gifts, that was an old saying from my time." The Courier stated, looking down at Benny. "Well…it was actually 'don't trust a Greek bearing gifts', but I still feel like the old saying applies here. You really thought you could kill Russell Pasternak with just a bullet? I survived attempts on my life by the mafia and the American government, nuclear apocalypse, and 200 years of living in a radioactive apocalypse. And you really think some snake in a suit will be able to snuff me out? I respect ambition, it's a trait I like a lot, but you've got too much ambition Benny my boy. And that ambition is what killed you; if you had just stuck to our deal, instead of trying to go it solo, none of this would be happening."

Benny wanted to argue, to plead, to scream for help, to do anything really. But the drugs that were currently coursing through his veins made it hard for him to say anything, or heck do anything. He had just walked into a trap, just like some amateur loser. The last thing Benny saw was Pasternak's boot coming straight for his face and the sound of bones crunching, before everything went black.


	2. Parsnip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here's something that has recently been brought to my attention, by a Polish friend of mine. Apparently, 'Pasternak' is the Polish word for pasnip. Yes, the vegetable parsnip. So that's definitely interesting lol But anyway, on with the story!

As Benny slowly regained consciousness, with his head feeling like it had just been hit by a ceiling fan, he quickly tried getting a hold of the situation he was in. That woman, the blondie, he'd taken her to his room, she showed him her charlies and then….and then what? It was all fuzzy after all, like his memories had gotten scrambled or something. As the head of the Chairmen tried to get up, he found that he couldn't; his arms and legs were tied to the bed, and his mouth was gagged.

'Maybe I went too night last far…' Benny thought.

After all, it wasn't like the old Ben-man was vanilla in bed; he was always willing to try something new. But something about this whole situation, not remembering last night, the dame and the restraints, it just didn't sit right in Benny.

The sound of a door opening woke Benny from his thoughts, as the Chairman leader looked over at his bathroom. The pieces of the puzzle started fitting together, as the Courier exited. Benny was stuck and there was only one way he was leaving this room, and that was in a body bag.

"Sorry to keep you waiting there, my dear Benny. I needed to dunk my head in some ice cold water.." Pasternak explained, a cold smile etched onto his irradiated face. "The Mojave desert is quite a pain for a Ghoul such as myself; radiation destroyed most of my sweat glands and I heat up quite easily. I hope you don't mind waiting?"

Waiting? Benny was ready to wait til the Battle of Hoover Dam, if it meant he didn't end up buried in the ground. The head of the Chairmen needed a miracle, and he needed it now. Why did Lady Luck have to leave him to dry today, of all days?

"Of course you don't mind. Such a gracious host." Pasternak continued. "I told you my dear Jazz, that Benny here would be a gracious host."

Benny lifted his head up, to see the woman in question sitting on a nearby seat. Jazz was no longer showing off her charlies to the whole world, but instead was back in her dress. She also looked different to Benny; she didn't have that wide smile or air-headed aura to her anymore. Instead she had a scowl etched onto her face and her eyes looked as cold as ice. Had to believe that this was the same woman that Benny had been wanting to take to bed before.

"Enough with the bullshit, Russell." Jazz muttered. "Kill this prick and be done with it; I have work in the morning."

Silence reigned after that, before the Courier just shook his head. The Ghoul walked over to Benny and sat down on the bed, the mattress creaking slightly from the added weight. Those black orbs that Pasternak had for eyes, it was sending shivers down Benny's spine. He wasn't a guy who was easily frightened, but this was not a normal look one guy gave another; no this was a look a Deathclaw would give to an injured Brahmin.

"You thought you were clever at Goodsprings, eh? I hate to admit it, but you did manage to get the drop on me." Pasternak stated. "You showed an amazing amount of intelligence that day, Benny. It's just a shame that you had to use that intelligence against me, rather than for me, otherwise you wouldn't be in this situation.."

* * *

 

_Patience was a trait that seemed to be practically extinct nowadays. Everyone wanted things now, and they were more than willing to kill to get what they wanted. It was pathetic, in a way; instead of waiting and reaping long-term benefits, people preferred being short-sighted and refused to change. Things may change, but people will always stay the same._

_Pasternak knew patience though, it was a skill he needed. Waiting for the right moment, strategizing and planning, not rushing into something without careful thought, all skills that Pasternak had honed over the years. They were skills that had saved his life on more than one occasion._

_Those three months spent as a POW in a Chinese prison, having to work for both the crime world and with the American government and avoided getting killed by either side, those long weeks spent holed up inside a bunker waiting for the radiation levels to decrease…patience proved to be a valuable ally, one that helped prevent Pasternak from going crazy. Patience was a tough mistress to please, but a rewarding one when you gained her favour. And it looked like patience would reward Pasternak again, as he reached the Goodsprings cemetery._

_"Nice to see you've finally arrived, Mr Gecko." Pasternak stated. "And looks like you've brought some company with you."_

_Standing in the open air, surrounded by a gang of Great Khans, was the head of the Chairmen Benny Gecko. Hard to believe that this man used to be a tribal, given the ugly white-and-black plaid jacket and the wing tipped shoes he was currently sporting. But it would be foolish to write the man off as a pushover. After all, if there was one thing Pasternak knew, it was that looks can be deceiving._

_"Hey there no need for formalities pal! You can call me Benny, or the Ben-man as my friends call me." Benny stated, lit cigarette in hand. "And sorry about the wait. We ran into a bit of trouble a way back, some Fiends deciding to not play cool and itching for a bit of fisticuffs."_

_"I told you not to engage into any fights, Mr Gecko." Pasternak stated. "My plans hinge on you being alive, as you're the only Three Families leader I can trust."_

_"Hey there buddy, let's be cool here." Benny answered. "One of the Khans got a bit too excited and went at it alone. I wouldn't willingly get into a scrap with any Fiend; those crazy cats would take on a Deathclaw with just a knife."_

_"That may be, but I trust nothing like this will happen again. Your death would prove to be quite a major setback." The Courier replied. "Now did you complete your task?"_

_"Job went as smooth as silk, boss man. Gave the Securitron a mickey in the form of a pulse grenade, no-one even noticed." Benny said. "Once he was on the nod, I yanked some wires and dragged him up to the workshop. Only problem is not exactly a tech man, so had to pull a few strings and get a bit of an assist."_

_"Who did you get involved?" Pasternak inquired. "Because this sounds like a loose end, and you should know I am not a fan of loose ends."_

_"No worries boss man, that end is all tied up. Got a gal named Emily, one of the Followers over in Freeside, a real whiz when it comes to things technical. She programmed his personality." Benny responded. "So how about you? You managed to pick up the package?"_

_Pasternak responded to the question, but not with words. He responded with a gesture, as he pulled out the Platinum Chip from one of his waistcoat pockets. The grin on Benny's face seemed to grow even wider, like a Cheshire Cat, as his eyes focused onto the prize in Pasternak's hand._

_"Ring a ding ding, baby. That's our ticket to easy street, right there." Benny announced. "Let's pop some bubbly eh? Cause this is definitely a time to celebrate."_

_Bottle of beers quickly appeared, as Benny handed Pasternak one. It felt surprisingly cold in the Ghoul's hand, causing a frown to appear on his irradiated face. How the hell did they manage this one?_

_"I may have told a bit of a white lie, we've been here for a few hours now." Benny explained. "We stopped by the bar and got a few beers, to celebrate this little achievement of ours. Now come and drink up boss man, don't be a square."_

_A stare was shared between the two men, before Pasternak finally relented. The Ghoul put the bottle to his irradiated lips, but didn't drink the beer inside. Why would he do that? He's been poisoned before, and it'd definitely made Pasternak a lot more cautious about accepting gifts from strangers._

_"Nice to see you're hip, boss man." Benny stated, a grin on his face. "We've rigged the game here in our favours, only question is when to swoop in and take Vegas. Heh, would love to see the face on Mr Not-At-Home when he figures out what we've done."_

_"Let's just hope he only knows what is going on, when it's time for him to know." Pasternak retorted. "I would not like to end up on Mr House's bad side until the moment is right; he has connections that run as deep as mine do."_

_"No need for quaking boots boss man, we've got this in the bag." Benny answered. "How do you think I got to lead the Chairmen? Cause when I want something, I'll do whatever I can to rig the game in my favour."_

_"So have I heard, Mr Gecko." Pasternak retorted. "Hard to believe that a man like you was once just a common tribal."_

_"Well times change, and definitely for the better." Benny stated. "Working at the Strip definitely has its perks, let me tell you."_

_"So why betray House in the first place?" Pasternak inquired._

_"Mr Not-At-Home hides Vegas under his skirt when the bombs fall a thousand years ago, so it belongs to him? Forever? You buy that?" Benny explained. "Listen, every boss has a line to explain why he's special, why everyone gotta do what he says. Just figuring that out? Vegas gotta swing, baby, gotta have pizzazz. Respect where due, but that old man is square to the core."_

_"And I'm not square?" Pasternak inquired._

_"Yeah, but you're a different cat altogether boss man." Benny answered. "At least I get to see ya in the flesh, unlike Mr Not-At-Home. Definitely an upgrade there, let me tell ya."_

_"How do I know you're not gonna betray, Mr Gecko?" The Courier asked. "Because from what I've seen, you are quite ambitious. Too ambitious, if I am honest."_

_"See, that hurts my feelings right there." Benny stated, a mocking frown on his face. "Really tugs at the old heart strings to know you can't trust me. And I even went outta my way to give you a nice death, too."_

_As those words left Benny's lips, everything went to hell. The beer bottle slipped from Pasternak's hand, as the ground came rushing up to greet him. All the Ghoul could feel right now was the sensation of pins and needles all across his body, and a migraine slowly coming around._

_"My time as a Boot Rider, taught me a few important lessons. Like how to brew poisons." Benny explained. "Take Mother Darkness, the poison you just drank. It goes straight for the muscles and makes them lock up, so you can't move. Pretty smart, eh?"_

_"H-how?" Pasternak grunted._

_"It wasn't the booze that I spiked, boss man. It was the bottle itself, rubbed some of that sweet old poison all across the rim." Benny explained, as he cocked his gun. "Hate to tell ya this, but the game has been rigged but not in your favour. Vegas needs a hip leader, and who's a hipper cat than the Ben-Man himself? Thanks for the Chip, mailman."_

* * *

 

"Pretty ingenious plan, I must admit." Pasternak stated. "However, there was one major flaw."

Time seemed to speed up in the next few seconds, as Pasternak lifted his gun and aimed it straight at Benny's skull. The head of the Chairmen left out muffled screams, begging and pleading for his life, before Pasternak pulled the trigger. Blood spurted everywhere, the pillows, the blankets, even on the wall of the bedroom, as Benny's skull whipped backwards and he laid limp on the bed.

"You should've made sure I was dead, you stupid son of a bitch." Pasternak growled.

"You got your revenge, good job." Jazz interrupted, getting up from her chair. "How about my caps?"

The Courier slowly turned around, an intrigued look evident on his irradiated face. "You could've left any time before hand, Jazz." Pasternak stated. "You would've gotten the money in the morning."

"You don't pay until the job is done, I'm not stupid." Jazz answered. "And I'd rather have the caps in my hand right now then wait and hope I get paid tomorrow. I need those caps, Russell."

"You don't trust me?" Pasternak inquired.

"I know what happened to Boxcars and Ranger Morales, Mr Courier. So yeah, safe to say I don't trust you that much." Jazz explained, a scowl etched onto her face. "You may pay well and might've helped me get off that damn Jet, but that doesn't mean I'll follow you blindly. You're a dangerous man to be around; people seem to wind up dead, especially people who work as spies for ya. So just give me my caps, so I can go home and get some sleep."

* * *

 

Things were going according to plan, and the Courier couldn't have been happier. The old Ghoul currently found himself sitting at the bar in the Tops Casino, nursing a glass of expensive whiskey. Pasternak usually avoided spending caps on useless expenditures, but tonight proved to be an exception. Benny had been taken down, the Platinum Chip was back in his hands, and he even managed to find this Yes Man that Benny had bragged about.

As long as no outside variables trying to fuck up his plans presented itself to Pasternak, then by the end of the year he would find himself running the Strip. House would be dealt with, as well as the Three Families, and the NCR and Legions should be non-factors after the Battle of Hoover Dam…

"Ave, abomination." A smooth voiced stated from behind Pasternak. "You seem quite proud of yourself."

The Courier had to suppress a sigh, as the owner of the smooth voice sat next to him. Dressed in a brown suit and hat, the man seemed right at home in the glitz and glamour of the Strip, at least at first sight. It's when you noticed his scarred knuckles, the uncomfortable way he sat down, and those steely blue eyes, that this person was definitely not a man of the Strip. And as much as Pasternak loathed to admit it, he knew exactly who this was.

"Greetings Vulpes, surprised to see you here." Pasternak retorted. "Almost didn't recognize you without the fancy get up and that yellow streak down your back."

"You accuse me of being a coward?" Vulpes inquired.

"My informants told me you burnt Nipton to the ground and were planning on staying there for a few more days." Pasternak explained. "And yet when I got there, you had vanished and left one of your stooges in charge."

"Gabban was a loyal soldier, somehow who I believed capable of handling the Legion's occupation at Nipton." Vulpes stated. "He handled the role quite well."

"Well Gabban and the rest of his men are currently rotting away in Nipton, so not exactly a good judgement call." Pasternak retorted. "Or it was an excellent judgement call, as you must've known I was coming and decided you wanted to live another day."

"You mock me and the Legion, but I doubt you will be laughing for long." Vulpes retorted. "Caesar's Legion grows stronger every day, proving the weaknesses of the NCR and the follies of all the profligates. We will show the Mojave the strength of the Bull and bring order to these profligates."

"So I have heard; the massacre at Nipton, the destruction of Camp Searchlight, wiping out Ranger Station Charlie…" Pasternak recounted. "I assume you had a hand in all of that?"

"As leader of the Frumentarii, I am entrusted with many of the Legion's missions. We will win the Dam, and the Mojave." Vulpes answered, a cold smile etched onto his face. "And the Legion shall crush you, abomination. You defile Caesar with your constant refusals to meet him and your interference in Legion activity. You shall be strung up on a cross and suffer, screaming for mercy, while you slowly and painfully die. I shall ensure you will be willing to betray everyone you love, just to stop the constant pain and torture."

"Charming fellow, aren't you?" The Courier inquired. "But keep this in mind; I am 236 years old. I have survived countless assassination attempts, betrayals, shoot outs, and wars, not to mention the complete destruction of my world by nuclear weaponry. I assure you, my dear Vulpes, I am no pushover. The Legion can try and kill me, but I won't be going gently into the night. I hope you are prepared for a battle of wits, because this will be the most important chess game you will ever participate in."

"The stakes?" Vulpes asked.

"Simple, really." Russell Pasternak retorted. "The entire Mojave and everyone in it is at stake. Oh, and our lives as well, because I highly doubt both of us will survive this war."

"The Legion shall not falter nor fail, we are too invested in this Dam to lose." Vulpes stated. "We shall emerge victorious."

"I hope you're still that confident when I march on the Fort and burn the entire place to the ground." Pasternak chuckled. "Because I don't like to lose, especially with stakes this high. Good luck Vulpes, you're gonna need it."


End file.
